Dieting quick fixes

[smartshopper]

Although I am determined to lose weight, and always start cooking from scratch loads, counting points, calories etc and generally eating lots of fresh veg... but within a couple of weeks I am back to old habits and have decided that it is because I just don't have the time for all this cooking from scratch malarky. When not dieting I do rely on ready meals / packet stuff in the week when DH and DD off doing thier own thing

I have never tried the WW ready meals - seem expensive, so can anyone recommend a cheaper supermarket branded version? Have a choice of the big 4 near me but Morrisons probably the closest - what is eat smart like for ready meals / dessert / quick fixes in general?

I would not waste your money on the ready meals, unless you really like them. They are really not good!

this has really worked for me it is NOT a diet, because diets only work short-term. Come and join us and give it a go!

You might be a good candidate for a food replacement type diet - Cambridge / Lighterlife etc or Celebrity Slim, Tony Ferguson etc...this kind of thing can work well for people who just don't cook and just don't want to.

Someone will come along and tell you that you will put it all back on when you stop but if you work within a calorie range and return to ready meals, you shouldn't, simply because you can eat more to maintain than you can to lose. So you could lose your weight doing it (nice and quick) and then eat a set breakfast, lunch and ready meal ish type dinner to maintain.

(Though to be fair, these diets do teach you how to eat real food to maintain - but like i said, if you don't cook, you can do your own thing, as long as you don't eat too much of it)

I have a few standard dinners, all of which I can cook in around 10 mins and all of which around 400 calories and very healthy. I don't really understand why anyone would want to buy ready meals! If you use frozen veggies its super quick as you don't even have to prepare them.

1. Stir fry veggies with quorn, chicken or tofu chunks. Sometimes add reduced fat coconut milk & thai curry paste.
2. Bolognaise - with beef / chicken or quorn mince, with chopped tomatoes and aubergine & mushrooms. Use (frozen) cauliflower instead of pasta.
3. Steamed salmon and steamed veggies.
4. White fish and veggies all cooked in sautee pot with chopped tomatoes. Cook veggies first and then add defrosted fish to top and put on lid.
5. Griddled tuna / beef steak / chicken breast etc with veggies.
6. Lentil/pulse & veggie curry (again use cauliflower instead of rice). Use tins of lentils / pulses & frozen veggies to save time.

I saw a TV programme about someone who ate WW or diet meals ONLY for a whole month and despite sticking to calorie limit everyday she GAINED weight.